v. phr. To fail to perform an expected task; be remiss in one's duty. The two airplanes wouldn't have collided, if the control tower operator hadn't fallen asleep at the switch. The dean promised our department $250,000 but the foundation never sent the money because someone in the dean's office fell asleep at the switch.
FALL ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH
Meaning of FALL ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH in English
American idioms English vocabulary. Английский словарь американских идиом. 2012